“III” is The Lumineers’ third album and is intended to be a story told in three parts. (Photo courtesy of uDiscover Music)
Cailey Scholtes
Connector Contributor
After the success of their 2016 album “Cleopatra,” fans have been anticipating new music from the folk group “The Lumineers.” The songs on their new album “III” were released in a series of EP’s over the last couple of months, with the final product gathering all of the songs while adding some new ones. The album was released on Sept. 13, and it tells a story about addiction and the struggles that come with it through its lyrics, which is unsurprising since the Lumineers are extremely intentional and thoughtful with telling stories through their music and lyrics. If you are a fan of the folk-style music the Lumineers are known to create, then III will not disappoint.
The album kicks off with the song “Donna,” a slow, piano-heavy song that is really pleasant to the ears and gets more intense as it goes on. The next song, “Life in The City,” is upbeat, fun and definitely one of the highlights of the album. One of the most artistic and interesting aspects of the album as a whole is at the end of this song. “Life In The City” actually concludes with a snippet of “Sleep On The Floor” — a song off of one of their previous albums– leading the listener to believe the storylines from both songs are connected. One of the things The Lumineers are best at is telling a story with their music, and this album did not fail in that aspect.
The next song, also one of the highlights, is called “Gloria.” This is a feel-good tune with some heavier lyrics, which is a common theme throughout the album. “It Wasn’t Easy To Be Happy For You” is repetitive, the lyrics mainly consisting of the title. Although repetitive, the song is easy to listen to and is quite catchy and would also be a good break-up song. “Leader Of The Landslide” is a highlight of the album as well, which builds up from a slow tune to a catchy song that will put a skip in your step.
The next couple songs, although not bad, are inferior to the beginning half of the album. They do not stand out in a crowd, and sound very similar to many of the less successful songs off of their other albums. “Jimmy Sparks” is particularly boring and is slightly unenjoyable to listen to due to its depressing tune. “April” picks the album back up with a 34 second instrumental break filled with beautiful piano notes, fitting perfectly with the title of “April.”
“Salt and the Sea” is refreshing, with interesting combinations of melodies, instruments and lyrics- the piano being the star of the song. This song is the perfect addition to your fall 2019 playlist. As this song ends, we move into the bonus tracks of the album- “Democracy,” “Old Lady” and “Soundtrack Song.” “Democracy” stands out among the bonus tracks as a star, while “Old Lady” is a rather calming slow piece, perfect to listen to as you are winding down your day. “Soundtrack Song” sits in the shadows of the album along with “Jimmy Sparks” and “Left For Denver.”b
This album is the perfect fall release. The album gives off a sad vibe but is not sad to listen to because the album tells a story through the varying tempos and complex lyrics.
Overall score: B
